conciliate; "that is, she's bigger'n _I_ am, but they said you was
her mother, an' so she's you're little girl, isn't she? _I_ think
she's lovely, too."

"Do you mean Miss Mayton?" asked the lady, thinking she had a
possible clue to the cause of Budge's anxiety.

"Oh, yes--that's her name--I couldn't think of it," eagerly
replied Budge. "An' ain't she AWFUL nice?--_I_ KNOW she is!"

"Your judgment is quite correct, considering your age," said Mrs.
Mayton, exhibiting more interest in Budge than she had heretofore
done. "But what makes you think she is nice? You are rather
younger than her male admirers usually are."

"Why, my Uncle Harry told me so," replied Budge, "an' HE knows
EVERYthing."

Mrs. Mayton grew vigilant at once, and dropped her book.

"Who IS your Uncle Harry, little boy?"

"He's Uncle Harry; don't you know him? He can make nicer whistles
than my papa can. An' he found a turtle--"

"Who is your papa?" interrupted the lady.

"Why, he's papa--I thought everybody knew who HE was."

"What is your name?" asked Mrs. Mayton.